News
‘Prez exploiting bankruptcy status to pursue his agenda’
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government brazenly exploited the latest IMF intervention here to advance its agenda to further weaken the parliament, Prof. Charitha Herath, MP, alleged on Wednesday (04).
Addressing the media at the Nawala Office of Freedom People’s Alliance (FPA), the former Chairman of parliamentary watchdog COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises) said that the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Bill very clearly reflected the current dispensation’s strategy.
Prof. Herath stressed that President Ranil Wickremesinghe as well as some of his ministers claimed that the government was implementing the agreement it reached with the IMF.
Sri Lanka recently received the first tranche of USD 2.9 bn IMF bailout package granted over a period of four years.
The SLPP National List MP said that government members so often made reference to the IMF, the Washington headquartered lending body, seemed to be governing Sri Lanka. Perhaps the IMF hadn’t been a party to the disputed strategies of the current dispensation, lawmaker Herath said, stressing that he didn’t oppose the government seeking IMF intervention.
Prof. Herath, who switched his allegiance to the Opposition in the wake of the SLPP declaring its support to UNP leader Wickremesinghe in July last year, said that they urged the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration to seek IMF’s help. “We have had IMF bailout packages on 16 previous occasions,” Prof. Herath said, adding that the current political-economic-social crisis could have been averted if assistance was sought at that time.
The first time entrant to parliament was among 82 lawmakers who voted for Dullas Alahapperuma, MP at the vote to elect a new President from among members of parliament to complete the remainder of ousted Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s five-year term.
Prof. Herath accused the government of taking advantage of the country’s bankrupt status to pursue Wickremesinghe’s highly dangerous agenda. The MP explained that the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Bill and the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act were in line with the President’s strategy.
The privatization of profit making enterprises such as Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) and Lanka Hospitals, too, was pursued on the basis of their agreement with the IMF, the MP alleged.
The current dispensation should be condemned for its irresponsible actions and certainly held accountable for the dire consequences, the rebel SLPP MP said.
MP Herath dealt with the controversial Central Bank of Sri Lanka Bill that received the approval of the Supreme Court. The SC on Tuesday (04) informed Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena that the Bill could be enacted with a simple majority in parliament.
Reiterating the need to thwart undue political interference in the decision making process in the Central Bank and the Monetary Board, Prof. Herath said however the government shouldn’t be totally deprived of an opportunity to make interventions. One-time Media Ministry Secretary said that he believed the Secretary to the Finance Ministry shouldn’t be allowed to run the operation. But, the removal of the Finance Secretary from the five-member Monetary Board shouldn’t be the answer, Prof. Herath said, warning the government that the Central Bank shouldn’t be totally independent as envisaged in the Bill.
Commenting on the relevance of the country’s supreme law in respect of the controversial Bill, Prof Herath warned the government of dire consequences in case the parliament was deprived of its power over public finance. It would be pertinent to examine how the new Bill impacted on Article 148 of the Constitution. “Article 148 dealt with public finance. Therefore, how could a particular Bill be acceptable if it contravened the Constitution,” the MP told The Island.
Prof. Herath suggested that the proposed arrangement should be subjected to the approval of the all-party Committee on Public Finance (COPF), thereby ensuring the parliamentary role in the process.
Referring to Section 47 of the new Bill, Prof. Herath expressed serious concern over the Central Bank superseding the Parliament in respect of the use of foreign currencies here. Perhaps, interested parties could be thinking of utilization of USD at the Colombo Port City, Chinese currency at Hambantota Port and Indian Rupee somewhere else, the MP said.
He said that such a decision could be made but that should be the prerogative of the Parliament, not the Central Bank as envisaged in the new Bill.
The move to enact a new Anti-Terrorism Act, he pointed out that it should be examined against the backdrop of the growing opposition to the government’s agenda. Declaring that the new Bill sought to suppress legitimate political dissent at all levels and aimed to neutralize social media platforms which the government considered hostile, Prof. Herath warned that the passage of the new law would create an extremely dangerous situation.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
